WESTERN WOODS Green Building Opportunities

( Continued from page 36) two years as a pilot program. Like the system for commercial buildings, housing can earn designation as a LEED

Douglas Fir

Hem-Fir . White Fir

Ponderosa Pine

Dimension Lumber, to 2O' Shop & Moulding Grade

Iaminate Grade Stock

Vertical Grain Fir

Select Structural FOHC Timbers

Warm Springs

Forest Products Industries

P.O. Box 810, Warm Springs, Or. 9776I . Fax 541.553.1063

Phone 54f.553.1148

Janet Corbett. Lori Courtney

Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum home, based on criteria defined by the USGBC.

The National Association of Home Builders announced it will launch its National Green Building Program during the 2008 International Builders Show next month in Orlando. The program was created in cooperation with the International Code Council.

According to NAHB, the national initiative will link dozens of successful state and local green building programs with a universal online certification tool, national registry of green homes and green builders, and a wealth of educational tools and resources for home builders and home buyers.

Builders will also be able to earn Certified Green Professional designation through continuing education.

Western lumber producers have watched this developing green trend and are beginning to respond. Western Wood Products Association is creating new materials under the theme "Western Lumber-The Original Green Building Product" to help explain the many green benefits found in lumber.

WWPA's website features a section entitled "Choices," which details how western lumber is the most environmentally responsible choice in building materials. Topics addressed in the section include why wood is the best choice, forest harvesting, renewability, sustainability, certification and life cycle science.

Additional white papers will be prepared by WWPA in the coming months, covering lumber certification programs, life cycle science and lumber, and green building standards. The papers will be designed to assist WWPA mills and distributors in answering many of the common questions on green building raised by customers.

Lumber certification has been the most visible response to the green building trend. A majority of the lumber produced by WWPA mills is certified under either the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) or the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).

While the two certification programs have been judged as very similar, there are differences in which certifications are accepted. For example, the LEED system awards points only for use of FSC-certified products and does not recognize SFl-certified lumber. The lumber industry has urged the USGBC to recognize other lumber certification systems besides FSC, but those efforts have been unsuccessful.

The New NAHB National Green Building Program is expected to recognize both certifications, as well as other systems such as the Pan European Forestry Certification.

Distributors seeking certified lumber can go to the WWPA website and use the interactive buyers guide. The guide allows visitors to select either environmental certified, FSC certified, or SFI certified from the Product Type prompt and generate a list of mills that can supply the products.

Mills Turn To Modern Systems

( Continued from page 43 )

"Many mills today operate around the clock. By having clearly defined procedures and standards for each job, including what to do when things go awry, we can be sure we're meeting our quality objectives regardless of who's operating the machine or supervising the crew," Webber said.

Webber added that the QMS program is particularly useful for companies with multiple operations. Nine of Stimson's mills in Oregon, Idaho and Montana have earned QMS certification.

"Being a multi-mill company, we didn't have to completely re-write the book for each plant. We've been successful at taking best practices from all our mills and incorporating them into customized standards for each operation," he explained.

Mills who have qualified can place the wwPA QMS Certified Mill logo on their paperwrap. shipping invoices. and other sales materials. The mark is intended to inform customers of the mill's commitment to produce quality lumber products.

Webber said the QMS program will be an important asset to help assure lumber buyers of the mill's commitment to make quality lumber products.

"We want to do more than talk about the quality of our lumber manufacturing," he said. "With QMS, we can show our customers that we mean what we say."

Bespecting the forest, honoring

building the future. A nation's pride you can build on.

Manufacturers of 20 million bd. ft. monthly of 2x4 thru 2xl2 in lengths 6' thru 20' in White Fir . Douglas Fir . SPF-S PP

Producing 2,000,000 bd. ft. monthly of 5/4 & 6/4 Ponderosa Pine Shoo

4/4 Pine Board Programs and 5/4 Radius Edge Decking Programs

State-of-the-Art Hewmill & Headrio Mill

Contact Sheldon Howell

Yakama Forest Products

3191 Wesley Rd., White Swan, WA 98S52 rel. t5091 874-1163

Fax 509-874-1 162 . wwut.Uakama-forest.com